Information processing apparatus and game image distributing method

ABSTRACT

An image processing unit  118  generates a distribution image including a game image. A distribution processing unit  126  distributes the distribution image to one or more of information processing terminals through a shared server. A participation processing unit  128  accepts play requests of viewing users operating the information processing terminals and approves a game play of one of the viewing users who has made a request for a play. An application execution unit  110  processes a game using operation information transmitted from the information processing terminal operated by the viewing user the game play of which has been approved.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a technique of distributing a gameimage.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, a broadcasting service in which a user performsbroadcast distribution of a game image being played by the user to aplurality of viewing users through a sharing site has become popular.PTL 1 discloses a sharing process in which a live distribution imageincluding a game image being played is broadcasted to the viewing users.The live distribution image disclosed in PTL 1 includes a display regionof a captured image of a playing user, a comment display region in whichcomments from the viewing users are sequentially displayed, and aparticipation button for participating in a game of the distributionuser, for example. When the viewing user operates the participationbutton, the game is started up, so that the viewing user can participatein the game of the distribution user.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

[PTL 1] WO 2014/068806

SUMMARY Technical Problems

In the sharing process disclosed in PTL 1, a scheme in which the viewinguser having the same game as that owned by the distribution userparticipates in the game and plays with the distribution user isachieved. However, if the viewing user does not have the game, theviewing user cannot participate in the game. Also, in a case in whichthe game image is broadcasted through the sharing site, a messageincluding a personal information or privacy information is displayed onthe game image, causing a problem that the message is also made publicto the viewing user.

In view of this, the present invention has an object to provide atechnique for enhancing usability of a sharing system of distributing agame image to a viewing user.

Solution to Problems

To solve the above-mentioned problems, an information processingapparatus according a mode of the present invention includes: an imageprocessing unit configured to generate a distribution image including agame image; a distribution processing unit configured to distribute thedistribution image to one or more of information processing terminalsthrough a shared server;

a participation processing unit configured to accept play requests ofviewing users operating the information processing terminals and toapprove a game play of one of the viewing users who has made the requestfor a play; and an application execution unit configured to process agame using operation information transmitted from the informationprocessing terminal operated by the viewing user the game play of whichhas been approved.

A game image distribution method according another mode of the presentinvention includes: a step of generating a distribution image includinga game image; a step of distributing the distribution image to one ormore of information processing terminals through a shared server; a stepof accepting play requests of viewing users operating the informationprocessing terminals; a step of approving a game play of one of theviewing users who has made a request for a play; and a step ofprocessing a game using operation information transmitted from theinformation processing terminal operated by the viewing user the gameplay of which has been approved.

Noted that an arbitrary combination of the above components andconversions of the expressions of the present invention between amethod, an apparatus, a system, a recording medium, a computer program,and the like are also effective as modes of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram depicting an image sharing system according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram depicting functional blocks of an informationprocessing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a diagram depicting a configuration of the informationprocessing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a diagram depicting an example of a game screen displayed onan output apparatus of a user.

FIG. 5 is a diagram depicting an example of a pop-up window.

FIG. 6 is a diagram depicting an example of an input screen indicatingoptions of a sharing process.

FIG. 7 is a diagram depicting an example of a screen to be displayed onthe output apparatus of a distribution user.

FIG. 8 is a diagram depicting a screen indicating a list of contentitems to be distributed by streaming.

FIG. 9 is a diagram depicting an example of a screen to be displayed onan output apparatus of a viewing user.

FIG. 10 is a diagram depicting an example of a game screen to bedisplayed on the output apparatus of the distribution user.

FIG. 11 is a diagram depicting an example of a viewing user selectionscreen.

FIG. 12 is a diagram depicting an example of a pop-up window.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 is a diagram depicting an image sharing system 1 according to anembodiment of the present invention. The image sharing system 1 realizesan environment in which a user A as a distributor performs livedistribution of a game image and sound during play and other viewingusers B, C, and D views the game image and sound. In this embodiment,streaming distribution of a game image is particularly described.However, note that a game sound is also streaming distributed along withthe game image simultaneously. Note that the viewing users B, C, and Dare merely examples and not limited to three. Also, the viewing usersare not limited to users who have registered as a friend of thedistribution user A in the image sharing system 1 and may be unspecifiedusers who can access a management server 5 and a shared server 11.

The image sharing system 1 includes an information processing apparatus10 operated by the distribution user A, information processing terminals12 b, 12 c, and 12 d operated by the respective viewing users B, C, andD (hereinafter referred to as an “information processing terminal 12”when not particularly distinguished from each other), the managementserver 5, and the shared server 11, and they are connected to oneanother through a network 3 such as the Internet. Note that, since aconfiguration of the periphery of the information processing terminal 12of each of the viewing users is the same as a configuration of theperiphery of the information processing apparatus 10 of the distributionuser A, the configuration of the periphery of the information processingapparatus 10 of the distribution user A will be described below as arepresentative.

An access point (hereinafter referred to as “AP”) 8 has functions of awireless access point and a router, and the information processingapparatus 10 connects to the AP 8 in a wireless or a wired manner so asto communicatably connect to the management server 5, the shared server11, and the information processing terminal 12 on the network 3.

The information processing apparatus 10 establishes connection to aninput apparatus 6, which is operated by a user, in a wireless or a wiredmanner, and the input apparatus 6 outputs operation information by theuser to the information processing apparatus 10. When receivingoperation information from the input apparatus 6, the informationprocessing apparatus 10 reflects the operation information on processingof system software or application software, and causes an outputapparatus 4 to output a result of the processing. In the embodiment, theapplication software may be a game software, the information processingapparatus 10 may be a game apparatus which executes a game software, andthe input apparatus 6 may be a device which supplies operationinformation of the user to the information processing apparatus 10, suchas a game controller. The input apparatus 6 serving as a game controllerincludes a plurality of input sections such as a plurality of push-typeoperation buttons, an analog stick capable of inputting an analogquantity, a rotary button, and the like. As described below, the inputapparatus 6 includes at least an operation button called “SHARE button”for displaying a screen related to a sharing process, and an operationbutton called “HOME button” for displaying a predetermined systemscreen.

The auxiliary storage apparatus 2 is a large capacity storage apparatussuch as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a flash memory and may be anexternal storage apparatus connected to the information processingapparatus 10 by a USB (Universal Serial Bus) or may be a built-in typestorage apparatus. The output apparatus 4 may be a television set havinga display which outputs an image and a speaker which outputs sound. Theoutput apparatus 4 may be connected to the information processingapparatus 10 by a wire cable or by wireless connection.

A camera 7 which is a stereo camera captures a space around the outputapparatus 4. In the embodiment, the camera 7 is used to capture an imageof the user A to be included in a distribution image. FIG. 1 depicts anexample in which the camera 7 is attached to an upper portion of theoutput apparatus 4. However, the camera 7 may be disposed on a side ofthe output apparatus 4. In either case, the camera 7 is disposed in sucha position as to be able to capture the user A playing the game in frontof the output apparatus 4.

The information processing apparatus 10 performs streaming distributionof a game image during play to the shared server 11 to broadcast thegame image to the information processing terminal 12 which accesses theshared server 11. Thus, the image sharing system 1 in the embodimentworks as a game image distribution system. The information processingterminal 12 may be the same apparatus as the information processingapparatus 10.

The management server 5 provides a network service to the user of theinformation processing apparatus 10 and to the user of the informationprocessing terminal 12 and manages the network service. The managementserver 5 manages network accounts for identifying the users, and a useruses its network account to sign in to the network service. By signingin to the network service, the user can register save data of a game ora virtual award article (trophy) acquired during a game play into themanagement server 5. In addition, the user can perform streamingdistribution of a game image and sound to the shared server 11. Also,the user accesses the shared server 11 and can view a game image andsound through the shared server 11.

In the embodiment, the user A plays a game by operating the inputapparatus 6, and a game image during play (hereinafter also referred toas a “play image”) is displayed on the output apparatus 4. At this time,the play image is also distributed to the information processingterminals 12 b, 12 c, and 12 d of the respective viewing users throughthe shared server 11 from the information processing apparatus 10, sothat the play image is displayed on each of output apparatuses 14 b, 14c, and 14 d (hereinafter referred to as an “output apparatus 14” whennot particularly distinguished from each other). Note that a resolutionof the play image to be distributed is set lower than a resolution of aplay image to be displayed on the output apparatus 4.

FIG. 2 is a diagram depicting functional blocks of the informationprocessing apparatus 10. Note that, since the information processingterminal 12 is the same game apparatus as the information processingapparatus 10, the information processing terminal 12 includes thefunctional blocks depicted in FIG. 2 as well. The information processingapparatus 10 includes a main power supply button 20, a power ON LED(Light Emitting Diode) 21, a standby LED 22, a system controller 24, aclock 26, a device controller 30, a medium drive 32, a USB module 34, aflash memory 36, a wireless communication module 38, a wiredcommunication module 40, a sub system 50, and a main system 60.

The main system 60 includes a main CPU (Central Processing Unit), amemory as a main storage apparatus, a memory controller, a GPU (GraphicsProcessing Unit), and the like. The GPU is used mainly for arithmeticprocessing of a game program. These functions may be configured as asystem-on-chip and formed on one chip.

The main CPU has a function of executing a game program recorded in theauxiliary storage apparatus 2 or a ROM (Read-Only Memory) medium 44.

The subsystem 50 includes a sub-CPU, a memory as a main storageapparatus, a memory controller, and the like. The subsystem 50 does notinclude a GPU. Further, the subsystem 50 does not have a function ofexecuting a game program. The number of circuit gates of the sub CPU issmaller than the number of circuit gates of the main CPU, and theoperation power consumption of the sub CPU is lower than that of themain CPU. The sub CPU operates while the main CPU is in a standby state,and the processing functions of the sub CPU are limited in order tosuppress the power consumption of the sub CPU low.

The main power supply button 20 is an input unit to which an operationinput from the user is carried out and is provided on a front face of ahousing of the information processing apparatus 10 so as to be operatedin order to turn on or off the power supply to the main system 60 of theinformation processing apparatus 10. The power ON LED 21 is lit when themain power supply button 20 is turned on, and the standby LED 22 is litwhen the main power supply button 20 is turned off.

The system controller 24 detects depression of the main power supplybutton 20 by the user. When the main power supply button 20 is depressedwhile the main power supply is in an off state, then the systemcontroller 24 acquires the depression operation as an “on instruction.”Conversely, the main power supply button 20 is depressed while the mainpower supply is in an on state, the system controller 24 then acquiresthe depression operation as an “off instruction.”

The clock 26 is a real time clock, and generates date and timeinformation at present and supplies the generated information to thesystem controller 24, the sub system 50, and the main system 60. Thedevice controller 30 is configured as a LSI (Large-Scale IntegratedCircuit) which executes delivery of information between devices like asouth bridge. As depicted in FIG. 2, such devices as the systemcontroller 24, the medium drive 32, the USB module 34, the flash memory36, the wireless communication module 38, the wired communication module40, the sub system 50 and the main system 60 are connected to the devicecontroller 30. The device controller 30 absorbs a difference in electriccharacteristic and a difference in data transfer rate between thedevices and controls a timing of data transfer.

The medium drive 32 is a drive apparatus which drives the ROM medium 44on which application software of a game or the like and licenseinformation is recorded with the ROM medium 44 loaded thereon to readout a program, data, and so forth from the ROM medium 44. The ROM medium44 may be a read-only recording medium such as an optical disc, amagneto-optical disc, or a Blu-ray disc.

The USB module 34 is a module to be connected to an external device by aUSB cable. The USB module 34 may be connected to the auxiliary storageapparatus 2 and the camera 7 by a USB cable. The flash memory 36 is anauxiliary storage apparatus which configures an internal storage. Thewireless communication module 38 wirelessly communicates, for example,with the input apparatus 6 using a communication protocol such as aBluetooth (registered trademark) protocol or IEEE (Institute ofElectrical and Electronic Engineers) 802.11 protocol. The wiredcommunication module 40 communicates with an external device in a wiredmanner and is connected to the network 3 through the AP 8.

FIG. 3 depicts a configuration of the information processing apparatus10 which operates as a distribution apparatus for streaming data. Theinformation processing apparatus 10 includes a processing unit 100, acommunication unit 102 and a accepting unit 104. The processing unit 100includes an application execution unit 110, a message generation unit112, a setting unit 114, a sound provision unit 116, an image processingunit 118, and a sharing processing unit 120. The sharing processing unit120 includes a sound acquisition unit 122, an image acquisition unit124, a distribution processing unit 126, a participation processing unit128, a connection control unit 130, and a setting image generation unit132.

In FIG. 3, elements indicated as functional blocks for performingvarious processing operations can be configured by hardware such as acircuit block, a memory, or another LSI or implemented by software suchas a system software or a game program loaded into the memory. Thus, itwill be understood by those skilled in the art that these functionalblocks may be variously implemented by hardware only, by software only,or by a combination of hardware and software. The functional blocks arenot limited to any of these.

The application execution unit 110 executes a game software (hereinafterreferred to simply as a “game” in some cases) to generate image data andsound data of the game. The function provided by the applicationexecution unit 110 is realized by the system software, the gamesoftware, the hardware such as the GPU, or the like. Note that the gameis merely an example of an application, and the application executionunit 110 may execute an application other than a game.

While the user A is playing a game, the application execution unit 110executes arithmetic processing to move a game character in a virtualspace on the basis of the operation information that the user A inputswith the input apparatus 6. The application execution unit 110 includesa GPU which executes rendering processing or the like, and receives aresult of the arithmetic processing in the virtual space to generategame image data from a viewpoint position (virtual camera) in thevirtual space. Moreover, the application execution unit 110 generatesgame sound data in the virtual space.

In the information processing apparatus 10, the communication unit 102receives operation information obtained as a result of operation of theuser on the input section of the input apparatus 6 and transmits theimage and sound data generated in the processing unit 100 to the sharedserver 11 and the information processing terminal 12. It is assumed thatthe communication unit 102 has the functions of the wirelesscommunication module 38 and wired communication module 40 depicted inFIG. 2.

The accepting unit 104 is disposed between the communication unit 102and the processing unit 100 and transmits data or information to andfrom the communication unit 102 and the processing unit 100. Whenaccepting operation information of the input section provided in theinput apparatus 6 through the communication unit 102, the accepting unit104 supplies the accepted operation information to the applicationexecution unit 110 and/or the sharing processing unit 120 of theprocessing unit 100.

FIG. 4 is a diagram depicting an example of a game screen displayed onthe output apparatus 4 of the user A. Note that the game screen depictedin FIG. 4 is the game screen prior to streaming distribution. During agame play of the user A, the application execution unit 110 generates aplay image and play sound, and the image processing unit 118 providesthe play image to the output apparatus 4, while the sound provision unit116 provides the play sound to the output apparatus 4. As a result, theplay image and the play sound are output from the output apparatus 4.

FIG. 5 is a diagram depicting an example of a pop-up window which isdisplayed in a superimposed manner on the game screen. The managementserver 5 registers friends of the user A. For example, when a friend isin an online state or a friend creates a message to the user A, themanagement server 5 transmits a state information regarding the friendor the message from the friend to the information processing apparatus10. When the accepting unit 104 accepts the state information regardingthe friend or the message from the friend, the message generation unit112 generates the notification message for the user A and then providesthe generated notification message to the image processing unit 118. Theimage processing unit 118 displays the generated notification message ina form of the pop-up window 180 in a superimposed manner on the upperleft corner on the game screen.

A user name 184 identifying the user who has created the notificationmessage is included in the pop-up window 180. For example, in a casewhere the management server 5 requests a real name registration as theuser name, the real name which is a personal information is included inthe pop-up window 180. The display of the real name in this case is tobe viewed only by the user A who is the friend, and accordingly, thereis no problem of disclosure of the personal information. The pop-upwindow 180 notifies the user A that the message from “Yamada Taro” whois the friend of the user A is received, and a text of the message 182indicates part (first one sentence) of the message from “Yamada Taro.”

Hereinafter, the sharing process in the embodiment will be described.

The sharing processing unit 120 performs a process for sharing image andsound data of the game being played by the user A with another userthrough the shared server 11. Users who access the shared server 11 arenot limited to the friends of the user A, but include unspecified userswho use the service of the shared server 11. The sharing process of thegame image and sound date is started at a time when the user A operatesa specified input section (SHARE button) provided in the input apparatus6 as a trigger, and the sharing processing unit 120 generates an inputimage indicating options regarding sharing of the image and sound data.

FIG. 6 depicts an example of an input screen indicating the options inthe sharing process. The setting image generation unit 132 generates aninput image indicating the options in the sharing process and causes theimage processing unit 118 to display the generated input image on theoutput apparatus 4. On this input screen, three options regarding thesharing of the image and sound data are indicated. The option “UPLOADVIDEO CLIP” is a GUI (Graphical User Interface) for designating that animage recorded in the auxiliary storage apparatus 2 is to be uploaded tothe shared server 11. The option “UPLOAD SCREENSHOT” is a GUI fordesignating that an image of a screen shot is to be uploaded to theshared server 11. The option “BROADCAST GAME PLAY” is a GUI fordesignating that the image and sound data of the game is to be relayedin real time through the shared server 11. The user A operates the inputapparatus 6 to move an optional frame 200, and then selects any one ofthe GUIs and presses ENTER button, thereby executing the sharing processselected.

In the embodiment, the GUI “BROADCASTS GAME PLAY” is assumed to beselected. Note that, after this GUI is selected, the setting imagegeneration unit 132 displays a setting screen for selecting a resolutionof the game image in broadcast distribution on the output apparatus 4and the user selects the resolution of the distribution image, afterwhich the broadcast distribution may be started. Note that theresolution to be selectable is assumed to be lower than the resolutionof the game image to be displayed on the output apparatus 4.

FIG. 7 depicts an example of a screen to be displayed on the outputapparatus 4 of the distribution user A. When streaming distribution isstarted, the image processing unit 118 generates a display image inaccordance with a screen layout depicted in FIG. 7. In this screenlayout, a play image which is generated in the application executionunit 110 is displayed in a play image display region 210. Note that,compared to a display region of the play image depicted in FIG. 4, theplay image display region 210 is reduced in size, and accordingly, theimage processing unit 118 downsizes the play image data to display thedownsized play image data in the play image display region 210. Acaptured image which is captured by the camera 7 is displayed in acamera image display region 212, and a viewer number display region 220is provided on a lower portion of the camera image display region 212.The number of viewers is provided from the management server 5 or theshared server 11. In this example, the number of viewers is counted as315.

A comment from a viewing user is displayed in a comment display region214. Note that the viewing user can input a comment from the informationprocessing terminal 12, and the input comment is assumed to betransmitted to the information processing apparatus 10 through theshared server 11. A message input region 216 is a field in which theplaying user A inputs a message for the viewing user. During streamingdistribution, the image processing unit 118 generates a display imageincluding a game image in the screen layout depicted in FIG. 7 andoutputs the display image to the output apparatus 4 and the sharingprocessing unit 120. Note that, in a case where the playing user A givespermission, the sound provision unit 116 provides sound input to amicrophone of the information processing apparatus 10 to the sharingprocessing unit 120 by superimposing the input sound on the game soundgenerated in the application execution unit 110.

The sound acquisition unit 122 acquires the sound provided from thesound provision unit 116, and the image acquisition unit 124 acquiresthe image provided from the image processing unit 118. The soundacquired by the sound acquisition unit 122 and the image acquired by theimage acquisition unit 124 are distribution sound and a distributionimage, respectively, to be distributed to the shared server 11. Thedistribution processing unit 126 adjusts a resolution of each of theacquired distribution sound and the acquired distribution image asneeded to be encoded, and performs streaming distribution of the encodedsound data and the encoded image data to one or more of the informationprocessing terminals through the shared server 11. Accordingly, theinformation processing terminal 12 of the viewing user accesses theshared server 11, so that the game image and sound to be distributed bystreaming can be output from the output apparatus 14.

The image sharing system 1 in the embodiment realizes a scheme in whichthe user A temporarily transfers an operation right of the game (rightof controlling the game) to the viewing user. For example, if there is afriend who is good at the soccer game near the user A, when the user Ais behind in the soccer game, the user A gives the input apparatus 6 tothe friend to let the friend play the game in place of the user A. Inthe image sharing system 1 in the embodiment, the viewing user isdistant from the user A viewing the same game image together, so thatthe viewing user understands a situation that the user A is in. In viewof this, the image sharing system 1 provides a scheme in which the userA transfers the operation right of the game to the viewing user to makea substitutional play temporarily.

When the user A operates the specified input section (SHARE button)provided in the input apparatus 6 during streaming distribution, aplurality of menu items regarding the share play are displayed on thescreen. When the user A selects the menu item “TRANSFER OPERATION RIGHTOF GAME PLAY TO VIEWING USER,” the participation processing unit 128notifies the management server 5 and the shared server 11 that the userA is currently accepting a request for participation of the viewing userin the game. In this manner, the viewing user makes a request for a playto the user A, and as a result, an environment in which the viewing usercan play the game in place of the user A is prepared.

Next, a scheme in which the viewing user performs a substitutional playwill be described.

First, the viewing user operates the input apparatus 6 to activate aviewing application of a live distribution image. The informationprocessing terminal 12 has the same configuration as that of theinformation processing apparatus 10, and accordingly, the applicationexecution unit 110 executes the viewing application of the livedistribution image. When the viewing application is activated, theinformation processing terminal 12 displays a list of content itemswhich are distributed by streaming in the shared server 11 on the outputapparatus 14.

FIG. 8 is a diagram depicting a screen indicating the list of contentitems to be distributed by streaming. The management server 5 managesinformation regarding the content which is distributed in real time inthe shared server 11, and the viewing application acquires theinformation regarding the content from the management server 5 togenerate the list of the content items on the screen. The informationregarding the content includes a captured image of a game, a game title,information identifying a distributer, and comment data. The useroperates the input apparatus 6 to move a selection frame 300 so as toarrange the selection frame 300 on the content information that the userwants to view. In an example of FIG. 8, the selection frame 300 isarranged on the content information regarding the game title “ABCFOOTBALL” which is distributed by the user A.

As depicted in FIG. 8, a comment “COULD YOU SOMEONE HELP ME IN A SHAREPLAY?” from the user A is included in the content information of theuser A. This comment is automatically input by the management server 5when the management server 5 is notified from the information processingterminal 10 that the user A is currently accepting a request forparticipation of a viewing user in the game. When the viewing useroperates ENTER button of the input apparatus 6, the informationprocessing terminal 12 accesses the shared server 11, and streamingimage and sound data of the user A is output from the output apparatus14.

FIG. 9 a diagram depicting an example of a screen to be displayed on theoutput apparatus 14 of the viewing user. The information processingterminal 12 displays the distribution image of the user A in apredetermined screen layout on the output apparatus 14. In the exampledepicted in FIG. 9, the distribution image to be distributed bystreaming from the shared server 11 is displayed in a distribution imagedisplay region 302. In this screen layout, a comment display region 304for displaying a comment may be provided on the right side of thedistribution image display region 302. Although the comment displayregion is also included in the distribution image, comments displayed inboth of the comment display regions may be the same or different fromeach other.

On the lower portion of the distribution image display region 302,provided is a participation button 306 for expressing the viewing user'sintention to participate in a share play requested by the user A. Theshare play to be participated herein is a game play in which the viewinguser plays in place of the user A. When the distribution user A approvesthe participation of the viewing user, the viewing user operates theinput apparatus 6 of his/her own in place of the user A to play thegame. When the viewing user operates the participation button 306, theoperation information is transmitted to the information processingapparatus 10 to the management server 5, as a play request.

When transmitting the play request of the viewing user to theinformation processing apparatus 10, the management server 5 transmitsinformation indicating the viewing user's skill level regarding the gamealong with the play request. In the image sharing system 1, themanagement server 5 manages trophy information earned by accomplishingvarious missions prepared for the game as information indicating eachuser's skill level regarding the game. In view of this, the managementserver 5 transmits the earned trophy information of the viewing user tothe information processing apparatus 10 along with the play request.Note that the information regarding a skill level is not only the earnedtrophy information, but also may be other kind of information.

Referring back to FIG. 3, the accepting unit 104 accepts the playrequests of the viewing users who operate the information processingterminals 12 from the management server 5, and feeds the play requeststo the sharing processing unit 120. The participation processing unit128 accepts the play requests of the viewing users and counts the numberof the play requests. The participation processing unit 128 sends thecounted number of the play requests to the image processing unit 118,and the image processing unit 118 displays the counted number of theplay requests on the right side of the viewer number display region 220.

FIG. 10 is a diagram depicting an example of a game screen to bedisplayed on the output apparatus 4 of the distribution user A. In theexample depicted in FIG. 10, the number of the play requests accepted,that is, the number of people waiting for a share play is displayed in ashare play waiting number display region 222 on the right side of theviewer number display region 220. In this case, the counted number ofviewers is 413, and the counted number of people waiting for a shareplay is five.

Note that the participation processing unit 128 may periodically providethe number of play requests accepted, that is, the number of peoplewaiting for a share play, to the message generation unit 112. Themessage generation unit 112 generates a notification message notifyingthe user A of the number of people waiting for a share play, and theimage processing unit 118 displays the generated notification message onthe game screen in a superimposed manner in the form of a pop-up window190. When the user A operates a predetermined button (HOME button) ofthe input apparatus 6, a system screen for selecting one of the viewingusers who has made a request for a share play.

FIG. 11 is a diagram depicting an example of a viewing user selectionscreen to be displayed on the output apparatus 4 of the distributionuser A. The participation processing unit 128 provides the accepted playrequest to the image processing unit 118. The image processing unit 118displays a list of the viewing users who have made requests for a playalong with the information indicating their skill levels regarding thegame. In this case, the number of trophies earned by each of the viewingusers in the games of “ABC FOOTBALL” is indicated. On the viewing userselection screen depicted in FIG. 11, the number of earning a platinumtrophy, a gold trophy, a silver trophy, and a bronze trophy is indicatedfrom the left in descending order of difficulty. When the distributionuser A moves the selection frame 230 onto a frame of a desired viewinguser and operates the ENTER button, the participation processing unit128 approves a game play of the one viewing user in the selection frame230.

In this example, the selection frame 230 is arranged on a frame of auser B, and with the ENTER button operated by the distribution user A,the participation processing unit 128 approves the game play of theviewing user B in place of the distribution user A. The participationprocessing unit 128 transmits the approval of the game play to theinformation processing terminal 12 b of the viewing user B selectedthrough the management server 5. On condition that the viewing user Bnotifies the management server 5 of his/her acceptance of the game play,it is determined that the viewing user B makes a substitutional play. Asdepicted in FIG. 11, display of the information indicating the skilllevel of each of the viewing users allows the distribution user A toeasily find a viewing user who is well acquainted with “ABC FOOTBALL.”

Note that, when the distribution user A moves the selection frame 230 ata position of an automatic selection button 232 and operates the ENTERbutton, the participation processing unit 128 approves the game play ofone viewing user who is selected based on a predetermined criterion. Theparticipation processing unit 128 may approve one viewing user who hasthe highest skill level or one viewing user who is the first person toexpress his intention to participate in the game. The participationprocessing unit 128 automatically selects the viewing user, and as aconsequence, the distribution user A can save time and effort to selectthe viewing user for a substitutional play.

Note that the participation processing unit 128 allows at least oneviewing user to play the game but may allow two or more viewing userswho play at the same time to play the game, in place of the user A.

After the participation processing unit 128 approves the game play ofthe viewing user B, the connection control unit 130 makes a P2P(peer-to-peer) connection with the information processing terminal 12 boperated by the viewing user B. This P2P connection establishes abidirectional communication path with low delay and high image quality,compared with connection between the shared server 11 and theinformation processing terminal 12 b. Note that the informationprocessing terminal 12 b continues to display the live distributionimage from the shared server 11 on the output apparatus 14 b until theP2P connection is established, and when the P2P connection isestablished, the information processing terminal 12 b switches thecommunication path to start to retrieve the game image and sound fromthe information processing apparatus 10.

The viewing user B operates the input apparatus 6 b watching the gameimage displayed on the output apparatus 14 b to play the game. Thecommunication unit 102 of the information processing apparatus 10receives operation information transmitted from the informationprocessing terminal 12 b operated by the viewing user B through the P2Pcommunication path between the information processing apparatus 10 andthe information processing terminal 12 b, and the application executionunit 110 processes the game using the operation information of theviewing user B. The game image and sound data processed by theapplication execution unit 110 is transmitted to the informationprocessing terminal 12 b through the P2P communication path. In thismanner, in the image sharing system 1, an environment in which theviewing user makes a game play in place of the distribution user A isachieved.

Note that the message generation unit 112 may generate a notificationmessage to the user A during distribution of the game image, in somecases. In FIG. 5, the pop-up window 180 which is displayed on the gamescreen in a superimposed manner is indicated. However, since the pop-upwindow 180 contains the user name 184 representing a sender of themessage, the text of the message 182, and the like, it is not preferableto broadcast contents of the pop-up window 180 in terms of personalinformation protection.

In view of this, in the embodiment, the setting unit 114 is providedwhich allows the user A to set whether or not the notification messageis included in the distribution image so as to be visually recognizable.Specifically, the setting unit 114 registers the contents which has beenset, by the user A, whether or not the notification message is includedin the distribution image so as to be visually recognizable, in theauxiliary storage apparatus 2 as setting information. The notificationmessage generated by the message generation unit 112 includes variouskinds. Examples of notification contents in the notification message arelisted below:

-   -   Message received from a friend    -   Friend request received    -   Invitation to play a game received from a friend    -   Friend is in an online    -   Trophy earned.

The distribution user A may set whether or not the notification messageis included in the distribution image so as to be visually recognizable,for each kind of the notification contents. The setting unit 114notifies the image processing unit 118 of the setting contents set bythe user A. Thus, the image processing unit 118 grasps the kind of thenotification message which may be included in the distribution image soas to be visually recognizable and the kind of the notification messagewhich may not be included in the distribution image so as to be visuallyrecognizable. When a notification message is generated by the messagegeneration unit 112, the image setting unit 118 generates a distributionimage in accordance with the setting contents in the setting unit 114.Specifically, the image processing unit 118 determines whether or notthe notification message may be caused to be included in thedistribution image so as to be visually recognizable depending on thekind of the notification message generated by the message generationunit 112.

Note that causing the notification message to be included in thedistribution image so as to be visually recognizable is to display thepop-up window 190 in a superimposed manner as depicted in FIG. 10, forexample. However, there are at least two methods of not causing thenotification message to be included in the distribution image so as tobe visually recognizable. One method is that the image processing unit118 does not cause the pop-up window to be superimposed on thedistribution image. The other method is that, in a state in which theimage processing unit 118 causes the pop-up window to be superimposed onthe distribution image, the image processing unit 118 masks (covers) thepop-up window with a black image, for example. The image processing unit118 executes image processing on whether or not the notification messageis caused to be included in the distribution image so as to be visuallyrecognizable, depending on the setting contents set by the setting unit114.

Note that the message generation unit 112 may generate a differentnotification message depending on whether or not the distribution imageis being distributed. For example, in a case where the user A sets toinclude the notification message in the distribution image so as to bevisually recognizable, including the personal information or the privacyinformation in the notification message is not preferable. To cope withthis, the message generation unit 112 extracts the personal informationfrom the message which is generated at a normal time (a time other thana time of performing streaming distribution) or replaces the messageitself with one only with information not causing any problem, so thatthe notification message to be displayed during streaming distributionis generated.

FIG. 12 is a diagram depicting an example of a pop-up window which isdisplayed on a game screen in a superimposed manner. A pop-up window 180a is generated instead of the pop-up window 180 depicted in FIG. 5 sinceFIG. 12 is a game screen during streaming distribution. A messageconfirmation method 182 a is one replaced with the message text 182, andan online ID (Identification) 184 a is different from the user name 184as a real name and is an identifier which is managed by the managementserver 5. Thus, during streaming distribution, the message generationunit 112 generates the notification message including no personalinformation or privacy information, so that the notification messagewith no problem can be included in the distribution image. Although theamount of information to be obtained decreases, display of thenotification message on the game screen realizes the sharing processhaving enhanced convenience for the distribution user A.

In the foregoing description, the present invention has been describedon the basis of the embodiment. This embodiment is merely illustrative,and it is understood for those skilled in the art that combinations ofconstituting elements and processes of the embodiment can be modified invarious ways and that such modifications are also within the scope ofthe present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   1 . . . Image sharing system, 3 . . . Network, 4 . . . Output    apparatus, 5 . . . Management server, 10 . . . Information    processing apparatus, 11 . . . Shared server, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d . . .    Information processing terminal, 14 . . . Output apparatus, 100 . .    . Processing unit, 102 . . . Communication unit, 104 . . . Accepting    unit, 110 . . . Application execution unit, 112 . . . Message    generation unit, 114 . . . Setting unit, 116 . . . Sound provision    unit, 118 . . . Image processing unit, 120 . . . Sharing processing    unit, 122 . . . Sound acquisition unit, 124 . . . Image acquisition    unit, 126 . . . Distribution processing unit, 128 . . .    Participation processing unit, 130 . . . Connection control unit,    132 . . . Setting image generation unit.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention can be applied to the technical field regardingdistribution of the game image.

1. An information processing apparatus comprising: an image processingunit configured to generate a display image including a game image; adistribution processing unit configured to distribute the display imageto one or more of information processing terminals through a sharedserver; a participation processing unit configured to accept playrequests of viewing users operating the information processing terminalsand to approve a game play of one of the viewing users who has made arequest for a play; and an application execution unit configured toprocess a game using operation information transmitted from theinformation processing terminal operated by the viewing user the gameplay of which has been approved, wherein the participation processingunit counts the number of play requests which have been accepted, andthe image processing unit includes the counted number of the playrequests in the display image.
 2. The information processing apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit includes thenumber of viewing users and the number of play requests side by side inthe display image.
 3. The information processing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the image processing unit displays the number of playrequests in a pop-up form.
 4. The information processing apparatusaccording to claim 1, further comprising: a connection control unitconfigured to establish a peer-to-peer connection between theinformation processing terminal operated by the corresponding viewinguser and the information processing apparatus, after the participationprocessing unit approves the game play of the corresponding viewinguser.
 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the participation processing unit accepts a play request fromthe information processing terminal through a management server whichmanages a network service of the information processing apparatus, andtransmits the approval of the game play to the information processingterminal through the management server.
 6. The information processingapparatus according to claim 5, wherein the participation processingunit accepts information indicating a game skill level of each of theviewing users who have made a request for a play, and the imageprocessing unit displays a list of the viewing users who each have madea request for a play along with the information indicating the gameskill level of each of the viewing users.
 7. The information processingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the user performs apredetermined operation while the distribution processing unitdistributes the display image through the shared server, theparticipation processing unit notifies the management server that theuser accepts participation of the viewing users in the game.
 8. A gameimage distribution method comprising: generating a display imageincluding a game image; distributing the display image to one or more ofinformation processing terminals through a shared server; accepting playrequests of viewing users operating the information processingterminals; counting the number of play requests which have beenaccepted; displaying the counted number of play requests; approving agame play of one of the viewing users who has made a request for a play;and processing a game using operation information transmitted from theinformation processing terminal operated by the viewing user the gameplay of which has been approved.
 9. A program for a computer,comprising: by an image processing unit, generating a display imageincluding a game image, and displaying the counted number of playrequests, by a distribution processing unit, distributing the displayimage to one or more of information processing terminals through ashared server; by a participation processing unit, accepting playrequests of viewing users operating the information processingterminals, counting the number of play requests which have beenaccepted, and approving a game play of one of the viewing users who hasmade a request for a play; and by an application execution unit,processing a game using operation information transmitted from theinformation processing terminal operated by the viewing user the gameplay of which has been approved.